BASF to supply cathode materials for Prime Planet Energy

BASF has become a strategic supplier of cathode materials for electric car battery cells from Prime Planet Energy & Solutions (PPES), the battery joint venture of Toyota and Panasonic. The first batch has already arrived at PPES.

This delivery was made via the joint venture BASF Toda Battery Materials (BTBM), in which BASF holds a majority stake. According to BASF, this is a “newly developed product from the portfolio for high-performance cathode materials”. However, details on the composition of the NCM material are not given, nor are the agreed delivery quantities and the contract period.

The material was produced at the Onoda site in Japan, where one of the world’s largest calcination plants for cathode materials is located. BASF is pushing ahead with the previously announced expansion project in Onoda, with production scheduled to start in the second half of 2024. The expansion will increase the annual supply of cathode materials to up to 45 GWh of cell capacity per year.

The partnership between BASF and PPES has already existed for several years. Together, they have now developed a “tailor-made product has been developed to meet the requirements of higher power, longer life cycle and improved efficiency”, according to the German group. The announcement does not say in which vehicle models the batteries with the new cathode material will be used.

“This is a great joint achievement by the BASF and PPES teams in Japan and a powerful step for the growing cooperation between both companies,” said Michael Baier, senior vice president of Battery Materials at BASF. “It fits well into BASF’s strategy to develop CAM together with leading battery manufacturers in their respective home markets and expand the business for more growth globally.”

“PPES is committed to provide batteries and to offer a wide range of added value and solutions based on these vital energy devices for the sake of protecting the environment and resources of our precious planet,” added Yasuo Ikeda, 65D Project Leader at PPES. “Together with BTBM, we have tackled many difficulties and developed a solution to serve our customers’ needs for superior electric powertrain solutions. We are looking forward to continually strengthening our partnership with BASF.”

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